Cutlery



Feb. 2, 1932. I F ARNOLD I 1,843,535

CUTLERY Filed March 19, 1930 Tic-L5 T164 T1655 IN V EN TOR.

{522th Arnold BY RNEYS.

Patented Feb. 2, 1932 OFFl FRANK ARNOLDIOF BRIDGEEORT, CONNECTICUT,ASSIGNOR T0 REMINGTON S WM- PANY, INC, A CQR'POBATION 01E DELAWARE@UTLERY Application filed March 1a,

The present invention relates to cutting implementsand more especiallyto a cutting implement which is particularly adapted for use in openingcardboard cartons.

lln present day commerce it is becoming increasingly more common topackcommodities in cardboard cartons which require opening by means ofcutting or tearing portions of the carton. It has been common to use anordinary knife for this purpose but due to the stifi'ness of thecardboard constituting the carton there has been serious danger ofinjury to the person handling the knife, and further there has beendanger of injuring the goods in the carton by thrusting the knife bladetoo deeply therein, a danger and annoyance avoid.

The present invention aims to provide a cutting implement the use ofwhich enables cardboard cartons to be opened rapidly and with completesafety to the operator, besides furnishing adequate protection against'injuring goods in the carton. Morespecifically, it, is an object of thepresent invention to provide a cutting implement embodying a handle, acuttin blade and a guard member, the guard mem er being adjustablymounted on the handle and positioned adjacent the cutting edge of theblade to regulate-the depth which the blade may be inserted in thematerial to be cut, as well as to aflord' a guide for cutting and ameans of protection, as will be more fully explained hereinafter. Theseand further 0 jects are obtained from the cutting implement which isdescribed in detail in the following specification, refer- ,ence beinghad to the accompanying drawings which form a part of the specification.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a View in elevation-of an embodi- Y ment ofthe improved cutting implement of invention. For the purposes of thepresent this view will be regarded this specification, as 'afront view.

Fig.2 is a view in elevation of the knifeshown in Fig. 1 as viewed froma side at right angles to that of Fig. 1. For the purposes of thisspecification, this view will be I regarded as a right side view. I

which has been dificult to guard member 22 was. Serial no. 436,985.

Fig. 3 is a detail viewof a form of knife blade adapted for use with theimproved cutting implement of the present invention.

FigsJl and 5 are detail views of modified forms of cutting blades whichmay be used as alternatives in the cutting implement of the presentinvention.

Figs. 6 and 7 are front and side views, respectively, in elevation ofthe handle.

Fig. 8 is a view in side elevation of a somewhat modified form ofhandle.

Fig. 9 is a top View of the handle member shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

Fig. 10 is a detail view in front, elevation of the guard member of Fig.1.

Fig. 11 is a top view of the guard member shown in Figs. 1 andlO.

Fig. 12 is a view in side elevation of a somewhat modified form of guardmember.

Referring to the embodiment of thednvention as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 ofthe drawings, a cutting implement is provided comprising a handle member20, a cutting blade 21, and a guard member 22. 'The handle member may beof wood, rubber, composition or any suitable material. The handle isprovided with a slot 23, formed in a manner already known in themanufacture of cut-- lery, extending inwardly from one side of thehandle for a distance corresponding to the width of the cutting blade.Thebottom of the slot is formed into a curve 24 corresponding to thesimilar shaped adjacent end of the cutting blade. The cutting blade 21is positioned in this slot to project upwardly from one end of he handleas shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The preferred form of cutting blade comprisesa 'do. ble edged cutting sur face 25 and 26. A screw 27 is threadedlymounted and countersunkin an aperture 27 0 in the handle, and. passesthrough a corresponding aperture 38 in theknife blade to hold thebladein-placein the handle. A groove or recess .28 is; provided in. theside of the handle to receive ta portion of the for adjustable'mountingof this member on the handle.

The prefer-red embodiment member 22, as seen comprises an elongatedshank portion 29 or the gen till lllll having formed therein anelongated slot 30. The shank 29 of the guard. member is adapted to ridein the recess or groove 28 of the handle for adjustment of the guardmember to expose a greater or less amount of the cutting edge of theblade. A set screw 31 is provided in the handle and rides in the groove30 of the guard shank 29. This set screw is adapted to threadedly engagein an aperture 310 in the handle, and clamp the guard member in placeupon the handle in the desired adjusted position, and the screw servesalso as an additional means for securing the blade 21 in place in thehandle by passing through an aperture 32 in the blade. The preferredform of set screw 31, as shown, is provided with a head adapted formanipulation by such a tool as a screw driver. @bviously, other-forms ofheads for the set screw 31 may be provided, if desired, such for exampleas knurled or butterfly heads adapted for direct manual operation.

At the projecting end of the guard member 22 is provided a guard portion33. As seen in Figs. 1, 2, 10 and 11, this guard portion comprises amember integral with the shank 29 and angularly bent to provide theguide surface 33 in a plane substantially at right angles to the cuttingblade. The guard portion 33 is apertured at 34 to permit the cut--v tingedge of the blade to pass therethrough. In the preferred form this guardportion presents a surface which, instead of being flat, is curvedsomewhat, as shown in Figs. 1 and 10, in order that it may be efi'ectiveas a guide when the implement is held at various angles in cutting. p

In use, the implement, as shown in Figs.

" 1 and 2 of the drawings, is held by its handle and the point of thecutting blade is thrust into the cardboard of a carton or other articleto be cut. The guard will limit the depth to which the knife blade maybe thrust. Then, by a drawing motion, one of the cutting edges of theblade will be caused to cut the material into which the knife isthrust.-

which the knife is thrust, and in the case of a cardboard carton theamount of exposed knife blade may be adjusted to the thickness of thecardboard of the carton without leavingany exposed cuttin surface whichmight in ure the goods conta ned in the carton.

The guard portion 33 of the guard member furnishes a guide which bearson the surface neeaeee to be cut and affords an easy and controlledcutting. The aperture 34 in the guard portion limits any undesirablelateral motion of the cutting blade which might occur in the course ofrough usage and minimizes danger of breaking of the blade. Furthermore,the guard member is seen to have portions projecting from all sides ofthe cutting blade and danger of injury to the user which might arisefrom careless handling is greatly lessened. It will be seen that byadjusting the guard member outwardly until no part of the cutting bladeextends beyond the guard portion 33 that the whole implement is placedin a safe condition for non-use. Although the invention has beendescribed with special reference to an implement for cutting cartoncontainers, it will be understood that the invention is adapted for manyother uses where a manual cutting implement is desired which may bemanipulated with speed, as well as safety.

It will be understood also that various modifications may be made in theconstruction and arrangement of parts without deviating from theessentials of the present invention. For example, althou h a doubleedged cutting blade is shown in t e preferred form of Figs. 1 and 2,blades having other forms of cutting edges may be used with equalsuccess. In Fig. 4 there isillustrated a modified form of blade 35 ofthe sloyd type, wherein a single cutting edge 36 is provided on a biaswith respect to the sides of the blade proper. In Fig. 5still anotherform of blade of the sheep foot type is shown at 39 having a cuttingedge 40 that extends parallel to the longitudinal axis of the implement.The portions of blades 35 and 39 which engages the handle are shapedsimilarly to corresponding-portions of blade 21, and apertures 41 and 42are provided to correspond with aperture 32 of blade 21, while apertures43 and 44' are provided corresponding to aperture 38, of blade ,21.Blades of various shapes and forms of cutting edges may be substitutedas desired, and because of the detachable mounting which is provided bythe present invention, blades may be changed or re-inserted at will.

Alternative forms of guard members may It is desired by some users tohold the cutting implement at a fixed angle oblique to the surface beingout rather than normal thereto and the provision of an obliquel disposedguard portion, as illustrated in Fig. 12, is adapted for the convenienceof such users.

In the preferred embodiment of the invenneeaeea a tion as shown in Figs.1 and 2 it will be noted that the portion of the cutting blade whichengages the handle is flush with one side thereof and projects part wayinto the handle. The blade is not symmetrical with respect to the handleas viewed in Fig. 1, and the guard member 22, being attached to thehandle at the front only, is not symmetrical with respect to the handleas Viewed in Fig. 2. It may be preferred by some users to have the guardmember mounted at the back of the handle instead of the front thereof,owing to the somewhat -difierent feel or balance the implement will thenhave in the hand of a user. For such users a handle is provided withwhich the guard member may be mounted at the front or back of the handleat will. In Fig. 8 there is shown an embodiment of such a handle at 45.This handle is somewhat similar in construction to handle 20 of Figs. 6and 7, but is provided with a guard shank groove 46 at both the frontand the back of the handle. These ooves are each adapted to receive thesha 29 of the guard member, and the guard shank is ada ted to be heldtherein by the set screw 31. n shifting the guard member it is necessarymerely to remove screw 31, change the position of the guard member, andre-insert the screw member at the back of the handle, the threaded aerture for receiving the screw being forme clear. through this handle asat 47 to afford reception of the screw from either the front or back ofthe handle.

As hereinbefore pointed out, various modifications in structure andarrangement of parts may be made without departing from the essentialnature of the invention and it is therefore to be understood that theembodiments shown and described are purely illustrative and are not tobe taken as limiting the scope of the invention except insofar as isprojecting defined in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A cutting implement of the class de-v scribed, com using a handle, acutting blade om said handle, a member .mounted onsaid handle andhavingan aper tured guard ortion positioned adjacent said lade projectingthrough the aperture of said guard portion, a shank integral with saidmember, and means for ad- 2.'A cutting" implement of the class-de- Ijustably securing said shank to said handle.

scribed, comprising a handle, a slot formed in said han 1e, a cuttingblade 'detachably mounted in said slot and having a cutting.

edge projecting from said handle a groove in said handle, and a memberhaving a guard projecting from said handle, a member hav ing a guardportion positioned adjacent said cutting blade, a shank integral withsaid said grooves.

. FRANK ARNOLD.

portion positioned adjacent said cutting edge,

said member being adjustably mounted in said groove and its outersurface being sub? i stantially flush with the surface of the handle. I

'3. A cutting implement of .the class described, comprising a handle, acutting'blade

